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The newspaper welcomes brief letters (generally no longer than 400 words) that express an opinion on a currently newsworthy topic. The writer’s contact information must be included for verification. Letters that contain defamatory comments, open letters, third-party letters, letters sent to more than one publication, and letters that would more appropriately be advertisements, including Cards of Thanks, are unlikely to be published. One letter generally is allowed per writer per calendar month.

“No government equals dictatorship”

To the editor:

While I’m sitting here watching the funeral of George H. W. Bush and perusing the Marion County Record, my thoughts sometimes stray to what others might be thinking.

Some would say, “What a waste of money,” or “Look what it could have done for the homeless, but he bore a burden for a lifetime.

Leadership is sometimes difficult, and try as we might, we fail. Our current county commissioners are trying but are near the D-.

Unfortunately, they have inherited a problem that is about 40 years in the making and have yet to recognize it. You cannot administer Road and Bridges incognito on Monday mornings. Hire a qualified leader and stay out of the way.

Then I see a letter to the editor that says we would be better off with no government. Every road would have a “NO TRESPASSING” sign because someone would claim it was theirs.

The only efficient government is a dictatorship, and you better hope you are the dictator. The letter also suggested we are not a free nation because we have rules. Read the 10 Commandments!

Since the letter writer seems elated that economic development is failing, he is failing to recognize that the world contains worthy people other than agriculture. Agriculture is subsidized by city, county, state, and federal governments, and his occupation would not exist without other people.

Let us look at local taxes. The effective tax rate for agriculture is 0.005 and for others is roughly 0.026. This does not include sales tax.

Finally, to protect the freedoms we have, many were drafted, some enlisted, and some didn’t.